Novel summary metrics for insular biotic assemblages based on taxonomy and phylogeny: Biogeographical,palaeogeographical and possible conservational applications

Using the land‐bound vertebrates on the marine islands as model organisms, two metrics are presented that permit quantitative and succinct synopses of the ‘evolutionary maturity’ of the hosted faunal assemblages. In turn, these reflect the geo‐physical settings and geological developments of the substrates. The assemblage lineage‐taxonomy spectrum (ALTS) is based on the constituent lineages’ taxonomic distinctiveness and diversity. Individual lineages within assemblages can in most cases be assigned to one of six categories, LT1?LT6: LT1 is a non‐endemic taxon, whereas LT6 comprises multiple endemic genera from a family that arose elsewhere. If required, the scheme can be expanded: LT9 is an endemic order. The data can then be combined to provide an assemblage spectrum, for example, 00:08:38:30:08:15[ 13 ]. Here, the first six values denote the number of lineages assigned to each category expressed as percentages of the overall total, with the sum of the processed lineages listed as the seventh (in brackets and bold). The ALTS metric highlights efficiently the key features of a marine island's biological assemblage. Notably, the contrast between spectra for suites on geologically and geo‐physically varied island types can be striking, for instance the squamate suite on the young, proximate orogenic margin island of Taiwan is coded 78:16:05:00:00:00[ 37 ] whereas the one on the distantly located, Late Eocene composite terrane island of New Caledonia is 00:11:00:11:33:44[ 9 ]. To overcome the subjectivity that is inherent in assigning supraspecific ranks, an alternative assemblage lineage‐age spectrum (ALAS) is also introduced that makes use of the binary logarithm values of the colonization times of the island lineages (0–2, 2–4, … , 32–64, >64 Ma). It is represented using a seven‐plus‐two‐number code, for instance Madagascar's squamates are 00:06:00:00:19:62:12[ 19 ( 16 )]; most colonizations took place in the Palaeogene (66–23 Ma); there are 19 lineages, but only 16 are presently age‐dated. In addition to marine‐island biogeography studies, the ALTS–ALAS spectrum approach is potentially useful for encapsulating biotas in other sorts of insular setting (e.g. lakes, mountain tops), and for evaluating palaeogeographical models. Furthermore, it may help emphasize the conservation value of an island's faunal assemblage.     

Meloidogyne hispanica n. sp. (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae), the 'Seville Root-Knot Nematode'

Meloidogyne hispanica n. sp. is described and illustrated from specimens obtained from peach rootstock, Prunus persica silvestris Batsch, from the Seville district of Spain. The perineal pattern of the female is oval shaped to rectangular with low dorsal arch and often widely spaced lateral lines with fringe-like striae. The stylet, 14.1 μm long, has broad, distinctly set off knobs. Males have a high, rounded head cap that slopes posteriorly. Labial disc and medial lips are fused to form elongate lip structures. The robust styler, 23.5 μm long, has large, rounded knobs that are slightly set off from the shaft. Mean second-stage juveniles length is 392.6 μm. The truncate head region is generally not annulated. The distinctly rounded and raised labial disc and the crescent-shaped medial lips form dumbbell-shaped lip structures. The stylet, 11.1 μm long, has rounded, posteriorly sloping knobs. The slender tail, 46.4 μm long, has large irregular-sized annules in the posterior region and ends in a bluntly rounded tip. Tomato was a good host; tobacco, pepper, and watermelon were poor hosts; cotton and peanut were nonhosts. Meloidogyne hispanica n. sp. reproduces by mitotic parthenogenesis and has a somatic chromosome number of 2n = 33-36. The esterase pattern is unique among Meloidogyne species.